this post was submitted on 02 Jul 2025
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If this isn't the most dystopian thing you've read today I don't know what is.

Artificial Refugia (such as bat boxes) can be used to somewhat offset lost habitat, but it's like replacing a rainforest with a plastic plant and calling it conservation. Further, unless they are meticulously designed, they can act as traps (trap animals inside), snack plates for predators, or even 'cook' the animals inside them.

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[–] otter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 16 hours ago

Aw, now the massive collection of little shit pellets is on the inside of the tennis balls.

[–] orbituary@lemmy.dbzer0.com 40 points 1 day ago

Feels more dystopia than feel good.

[–] Grimtuck@lemmy.world 11 points 1 day ago

Not all are used for these habitats, most are sold to the public to support charities and the rest are recycled into children's playgrounds or similar.

This is also why the spectators are not allowed to keep balls that they catch unlike other tennis tournaments. It's not to be mean. Wimbledon tennis balls have a life after the tournament.

[–] Rentlar@lemmy.ca 19 points 1 day ago (2 children)

It's always felt funny to me how dumping things turning into the environment rehabilitation are often presented as feel good stories, like throwing subway cars to make coral reefs. Sure they help revitalize ecosystems in many cases but it's just a weird feeling to me.

[–] bobo1900@startrek.website 5 points 16 hours ago

To be fair, a metal subway car (provided they removed every piece of rubber, plastic and electronic component) is environmental quite neutral, as metal and glass are inert. In this case though, I'm pretty sure tennis ball contain plastic so it wouldn't be whise to just leave them in the open. If they were glass balls, it would be better.

[–] normalexit@lemmy.world 7 points 23 hours ago

Whelp, sorry about messing up your habitat. Here's some garbage... Looks like our job here is done.

[–] miss_demeanour@lemmy.dbzer0.com 24 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Is there fault or advantage with this practice?

[–] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 45 points 1 day ago (2 children)

They're putting plastic balls into fields for mice that chew everything. So if you want to efficiently distribute micro plastics into the environment, I can't think of a better solution.

[–] tisktisk@piefed.social 24 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I think they were just making tennis puns 😅

[–] Empricorn@feddit.nl 9 points 1 day ago (1 children)

They might only be 15, love.

[–] SkaveRat@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 1 day ago

Love means nothing to them

The original tennis ball was actually made of wood and later transitioned to leather with sawdust as the material added inside for an extra bounce. Eventually, the inside of the tennis ball was stuffed with wool and the core was wrapped in twine.

So, this no longer holds true?
mea culpa!